Monday, August 02, 2010

She is totally right. I'm bragging here. If I can't brag on my very own knit blog where can I?

I have some washcloths knit by the very hands that knit the Tree Sweater!

They are the first hand knit washcloths I've used and they are a joy. I know there is a cult following out there for knitting and using knit washcloths but I didn't really get it. I have now drunk the Kool-Aid and I dream about a run to Joanne's with the coupon to pick up a load of Sugar N Cream yarn. They soak up so much water and are just right for washing dishes, wiping up spills, wiping down the counters, using as coasters, and just all around enjoying the fact that I'm cleaning with knitting.

So I've started knitting my own washcloths as gifts. Right now I'm not buying yarn so I had to knit from the stash.

“I am a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar.”

Leaf On The Wind Wash Cloth knit out of Euroflax 14/2 Linen held triple since 14/2 is a lace weight. I love the cute little cones the yarn comes on. I found the pattern to be too short. Everything I did came out very squat so I had to add rows to all parts of the pattern. I've never been able to achieve row gauge so I'm sure that is some of my problem. I love how the leaf looks and I may knit up a stack of them without WASH along the bottom. Can you read it? I can't read it. I hope after washing and drying it pops better.

Some mystery stash yarn, 100% cotton almost a rick rack almost a chenille yarn bought at a yarn shop 'n' swap before I even knew how to knit. I held this yarn double to make it thick enough. The velvety feel of these washcloths are amazing. Christmas knitting is well on it's way.

After digging out the flower bed (I won't mention the poison Ivy rash I got from that) I was able to do my ritual of buying herbs late in the season at reduced prices. I put in the herb garden as a surprise.

Because it's a surprise I had to get it all done at one go before I was found out. Not my brightest idea every. But 6 hours later I had this.Tia Basil has the prettiest purple flowers. Isn't the little stone birdbath the sweetest thing?The purple basil is a surprise to me. I picked it up because of the pretty purple leaves. It's now my favorite basil to grill with steak. It has a sharp sweet anise flavor that really brings out the flavor of the meat. Add some sprigs of rosemary and it's perfection.I also like to wrap a leaf around a tomato before popping it into my mouth. It's so much better than plain tomato. Yum.

I've tried doing the same thing with the other basil's. Sweet Basil doesn't work well that way. Tia Basil is almost as good. Spicy Globe Basil has a black pepper note that works great with tomato. Tomorrow I'll try the Lemon Basil. Because I tasted Purple Basil, Tia Basil, Purple Basil, Spicy Globe Basil, Purple Basil, I stripped my tomato plant clean before I ran out of basil flavors to try.

I love the basil so much I might stop buying the sickly reduced price plants in July to watch them bounce back with a little TLC and put them in correctly in the spring. It's agonizing to wait for them to grow enough leaves to make a single batch of pesto much less the endless batches I'm yearning for. Does Purple Basil make good pesto? I'll find out. But I think the traditional Sweet Basil is traditional for a reason. Good thing I planted both.